Drying mechanism for cans and the like



Oct. 4, 1938. H. D. LATHROP 2,132,303

DRYING MECHANISM FOR CANS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 13, 1935 5Sheets-Sheet l zv zvenz or' Oct. 4, 1938. H.'D. L ATHROP 2,132,303

DRYING MECHANISM FOR CANS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 13, 1955 5Sheets-Sheet 2 L I I l I l l Oct. v4, 1938. H. D. LATHROP DRYINGMECHANISM FOR CANS AND THE LIKE s Sheets-Shei 3 Filed Dec. 15, 1935llllllllurll l l I I I I I I I I l l I l I ll Patented 0a. 4, 1938UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Harry D, Lathrop, Chicago, 111., vassignorto The Lathrop-Paulson Co. nois Application December 13, 1935, SerialNo. 54,308

8 Claims.

This invention relates to drying mechanism for cans and the like. Forthe purpose of illustration, it is described in connection with thedrying of milk cans.

In the operation of emptying milk cans into a dump-pan or weigh-can, andin which operation a portion of the milk can is brought over thereceiving container, there is a tendency for particles on the outside ofthe can to drop into the milk and thus contaminate it. While the can maybe washed just before the dumping operation, considerable difficulty isexperienced in attempting to dry it to the extent that no Water dropsremain upon its surfacewhen itis being emptied, such water drops, ifpresent, presenting, of course, a new source of contamination.

An object of the present invention is to provide simple and effectivemeans for removing the water drops on the outer surface of the can whileemploying a minimum of power. A further object is to provide blowermechanism for discharg ing a current of air upon the can from auniformly spaced distance as the can is moved forward. A further objectis to provide blower mechanism equipped with nozzles which follow thecontour of the can and in close'proximity thereto so as to remove thewater with a minimum of air pressure. Other specific objects andadvantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred em bodiment, by theaccompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a front view inelevation ofapparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a side view in elevation; andFig. 3, a plan sectional view, the section being taken as indicated atline 3 of Fig. 2, a portion of the structural parts being omitted toillustrate better the movements of the nozzle parts in following thecontour of the can.

In the illustrations given A designates a frame providing a trackway forthe cans and supporting structure for the moving mechanism as will" belater described. B designates motor driven blower mechanism; and Cdesignates air conduit and nozzle mechanism through which air isdischarged against thesurface of the can.

The structure A may be of any suitable type or form of construction. Inthe illustrations given,

' four upright U-beams ID are connected at their bottoms by longitudinalangle iron beams H and at their tops with similar beams I2. Upon beams|2 rests a steel plate I 3 which carries the motor and blower mechanismB. The longitudinal beams H and I2 are connected by transverse acorporatiou of Illibeams l4. Resting upon the lower-beam I4 is a chaintrack l5 which is generally U-shaped and'upon which is drawn a conveyorchain l6. Vertical rails I! are supported on each side of tracks IS. Amilk can is carried by conveyor chain |6along the track provided byrails and between the angle iron strips H. In view of the well-knownconstruction of such means for conveying milk cans, it is believedunnecessary to describe such parts. in detail. The new drying mechanismconstituting the present. invention may be employed with any suitablecan conveying structure.'

The motor driven blower mechanism is also of old and well-knownconstruction and need not be described in detail. The motor I8 issupported upon a base l9 resting on the steel plate l3 and drives shafts20 .which extend into the two blowers 2| on either side of the motor l8and drive the rotor parts therein. As shown more clearly in Fig. 2, eachblower 2| is provided with an intake 22 and with two outlets 23 and 24.The outlet 24 communicates with a conduit 25, which extends downwardlyand communicates with a horizontal manifold conduit 26 extending belowthe can trackway. It will be observed that the manifold conduit or duct26 is supplied with air from ducts 25 leading from both blowers 2|. Themanifold duct 26, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1, is supplied withshort vertical discharge nozzles 21, extending on either side of thetrack rails l1 and around the chain track l5.

The other discharge outlet 23 of each blower I3 is provided with a.circular neck to which is clampedby a metal band 28, a cylindricalflexible duct 29 which may be formed of canvas or other suitablematerial. The lower end of the canvas duct 29 is clamped by metal band30 to the circular neck of discharge nozzle member 3|.

The nozzle members 3| may be formed of metal or other suitable materialand preferably in the shape illustrated more clearly in Figs. 1 and 2,the inner ends of the members 3| providing sub stantially long verticalsides 32 which are provided with an air discharge port or nozzle 33.

i The elongated vertical ports 33, are thus positioned well inside ofthe supporting structure and over the can trackway.

Discharge nozzles 3| are preferably supported in such a way as to permitthem to follow the contour'of the can as the can is moved along thesupporting mechanism maintaining the nozzles or ports 33 at asubstantially uniform distance from the surface of the can asthe can ismoved. As

shown more clearly in Fig. 2, I provide a pair of supporting brackets 34which are welded to each of the vertical standards and in spacedrelation so as to support apivot shaft 35 which extends through openingsin the bracket members 34. Fastened to each of the pivot shafts 35 attheir upper ends are forwardly and upwardly extending arms. The arms 36from each of the shafts 35 are connected by tension spring 31 whichtends to draw the two arms together. A brace arm 38 may be secured tothe pivot shaft 35 near its mid die and the other end of the arm may besecured to the nozzle member 3|. To the lower end portion .of the pivotshaft 35 is secured a long actuating arm 39, shown more clearly in Fig.3. The arm 39 extends from the shaft 35 and is then curved at rightangles below each nozzle member 3|. As shown more clearly in Fig. l, thearm 39 is connected to the nozzle member 3| thereabove by a metal strap40. The metal strap 40 has a lower flange resting upon and secured tothe arm 39, while its end portions are extended upwardly and welded tothe bottom portion of each nozzle member 3|. The arms 39 at their innerends extend slightly beyond the walls 32 of'the nozzle members 3| toprovide extensions 4|. To the extensions 4| are rotatably secured guiderollers 42 which are adapted to engage the outer surface of a canpassing. along the trackway.

To prevent the spring 31 from bringing nozzle members 3| together, Iprovide the arms 39 near their bends with stop pins 43, shown moreclearly in Figs. 2 and 3. The pins 43 engage the angle irons ii andprevent the members 3| from moving inwardly beyond the positions shownin full lines in Fig. 3.

, Operation the outward movement of the nozzle members 3|.

In this manner, the nozzles 33 are maintained at substantially a uniformdistance from the outer surface of the can as the can moves forward sothat the surface of the can is swept by a current of air ofsubstantially uniform force. As the can moves forward, the bottomportion of it passe over the vertical duct outlets 21 leading from th amanifold 28. It will be observed that the ducts are supported just belowthe top of the chain It and are thus brought close to the bottom of thecan; with this construction the bottom of the can is swept clean by theblast of air discharging in very close proximity to the bottom of thecan.

In early efforts which I' have made to'clean cans by air blasts, I haveattempted to discharge air from stationary ducts about the can. Theseefforts were abortive even though extremely high air'pressures wereemployed, and while utilizing larger air blowers than I now use to theirfull capacity. I have now discovered that the drying can be successfullyaccomplished with relatively small blowers if the discharge nozzles canbe brought sufliciently close to the periphery ofthe can and maintainedin such close relation as the can moves forward. I prefer to support thenozzles at about of an inch from the can surface although it will beunderstood that this distance may be varied. By maintaining thedischarge nozzles constantly and uniformly close to the sides of the canas it moves forward, the water droplets are almost instantly driven fromthe can while relatively small power is used.

Itwill be observed, that the movement of the can forward as it is drawnby chain l3, guides the rollers 42 apart as indicated in dotted lines inFig. 3, while the force of spring 36 tends to bring the rollers back totheir starting position after the can has advanced a certain distance.

While, in the illustrations given, I have shown nozzle members ofcertain shapes which are adapted to dry merely the sides of milk cans,it will be understood that the nozzles may be modified in shape, ifdesired, to dry the necks or tops of the cans. Such changes may bereadily made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

While I prefer to move the can and cause the blower nozzles to traversethe sides of the can as it 'moves forward, if desired, a can may beallowed to remain stationary or moved at a slow rate of speed while thelower nozzles are moved by power mechanism about the periphery of thecan. Also, if desired, the can may be rotated or otherwise moved tocause its outer surface to be traversed by air discharged from a nozzleclose to the can and preferably at a substantially uniform distancetherefrom.

In the operation of the mechanism, it will be understood that the cansare washed by any suitable means prior to their reaching the structureA, For example, as the can is moved forward on chain It, washingnozzlessmay be directed upon the can and the can thereby given athorough cleaning. By the time that the can reaches the nozzle 3| it isfound that the water droplets are carried mainly by the sides of the canand the bottom of the can. My drying mechanism, as described above,effectively removes the water drops without halting the movement of thecan as it proceeds toward the weigh-can.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecesary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly aspermissible in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1. In can-drying mechanism of the character I set forth, a conveyoradapted to move a can along,

vsaid nozzles about the sides of said can and at a substantially uniformdistance therefrom as the can moves forward.

3. In. can-drying apparatus of the character set forth, a conveyor,nozzle members supported so as to swing above'said conveyor, blowermechanism, duct means connecting said blower mechanism tosaid nozzlemembers, guide means connected to said nozzle members and adapted toengage a can advanced by said conveyor to maintain said-nozzle membersat a substantially uniform distance from the sides of the can as the canmoves forward, and spring means normally drawing said nozzle memberstoward each other, said spring being out of the path of the can.

4. In can-drying apparatus of the character set forth, a conveyorcomprising a movable member and guide members, an air duct extendingunder said conveyor and having upwardly extending nozzles passingbetween said guide members and said movable member, a blower mecha-'nism, and a duct connecting said blower and the duct below saidconveyor. 7

5. In can-drying apparatus of the character set forth, a blower, aninwardly extending nozzle adapted to lie adjacent the side of a can, aduct connecting said nozzle to said blower, said duct having at least aportion thereof formed of flexible material, and pivotably supportedmeans equipped with extension arms supporting said nozzle in such aposition as to cause it to move in a horizontal plane about a portion ofthe periphery of an advancing can while the nozzle opening is maintainedat a substantially uniform distance from such portion of the periphery.

6. In can-drying apparatus of the character set forth, a blower, aninwardly extending nozzle adapted to lie adjacent the side of a can, aduct connecting said nozzle to said blower, said duct having at least aportion thereof formed of flexible material, pivotably supported meansequipped with extension arms supporting said nozzle in such a positionas to cause it to move about a portion of the periphery of an advancingcan while the nozzle is maintained at a substantially uniform distancefrom such portion of the periphery, and stop means limiting the inwardmovement of said nozzle. e

7. In can-dryingapparatus of the character set forth, a conveyor, a pairof nozzle members pivotably supported and having vertical ports on theirinner'sides adapted to lie adjacent the side ofa can, blower mechanism,flexible duct means connecting said nozzles to said blower mechanism,spring means urging said nozzles toward each other, guide means, androllers carried by said guide means, adapted to engage the side'sof acan and to guide said nozzle openings about the sides of the can as thecan is advanced by said conveyor.

8. In mechanism for drying the wet sides 01' a milk can, a. plurality ofmovably related nozzles having ports on their inner sides lying adjacentthe sides of a can, means for advancing the can, means for causing saidnozzles to traverse a portion of the sides of the can 'as the can movesforward, blower mechanism, duct means connecting said nozzles and saidblower mechanism, and means for bringing said nozzles to a positionextending acrosssaid advancing means after the can has moved past them.

HARRY D. LA'I'HROP.

